Context

Context is a major force inside a container. It’s the history of the individual members of the team. And this history is available for the change agent to tap into. Answers to questions like where do the individuals in a team come from and what have they done in their past, would constitute the context.

The above-mentioned makes a micro-definition of context: the definition that puts individuals at the core. However, zooming out, we get a broader definition. For context also refers to the ground in which the container sits on. It’s the overall history of the organization. To get this definition, you should seek the answers to questions like which industry the container belongs to and its current financial state, or the risk-reward categories it fall under.

The context, in other words, is how you view the container and helps you plot its transformation from the current form to where you wish to take it next.

Respecting the team’s context makes for a happy transformation

Sometimes, you could get a very dynamic view of a container from the perspective of context. For instance, let’s look at the brand, Nike.

While Nike is presently synonymous with sports, back when the company was founded by Phil Knight and Bill Bowerman in 1964, the brand was solely involved in distribution of footwear- shoes, to be precise. Now, it’s interesting to note that most companies that start out in this manner expand their business by following the same trail- by being a footwear maker/vendor. Indeed, many successful brands of today made their fortune like that. And there’s nothing in Nike’s history to say they would also not have found success in the same manner.

But then, Nike decided to do something different. Along with their brand communication partner, TBWA, Nike decided to create a powerful brand persona that positioned them not as a shoe vendor but as a sports brand. From designing aerodynamic shoes to aid athletes, to signing on some of the top names in the sports world from Bob Jackson to Tiger Woods to Cristiano Ronaldo, they cultivated a brand image that practically became a sister-icon for sports.

In the year 2018, this may seem normal- after all, every other apparel brand is doing what Nike was doing then. But the question is, why would any brand consistently create products and advertisements that make it look like they cater only to athletes and sports persons? After all, all said and done, that’s a pretty niche category- hardly enough for a brand to become a global behemoth.

From personal relations to technical skills and professional experience, the individual’s context could be vast

That’s where Nike’s genius lies in. For they understood something about the consumers which many fellow brands were late to recognize- the power of inspiration, and aspiration.

Sports is a constant zeitgeist in many countries- cricket in India, soccer in Brazil and baseball in America, to name a few. Nike understood the inspirational value of sports- and connecting this to their brand, they made a headway into the average consumer’s heart. It doesn’t matter if you are a couch potato whose closest encounter with a sports stadium happens through the television- you would still want to wear Nike, because of its aspirational value. Even if you are not a super-fan of ergonomically designed shoes, you still worship Virat Kohli and Serena Williams. And there’s no way you are going to miss out on a brand that’s so strongly associated with your idols.

Coming back to the point of context, if you look at Nike’s past, you get a combined picture of a brand that was a superior shoe vendor at one point and then an unparalleled sports brand, though the bulk of their customers are non-sportspersons. This sort of a view could be obtained when you look at the context of the brand. And by understanding this context, you see the valuable brand history, the brand’s potential and flexibility.

Now, imagine if you were to come in as a change agent for such a brand, to aid in its transformation. Would you continue expanding it in the same direction, or would you perhaps adopt a similar strategy from their past and take a different-unexpected route, maybe by associating the brand with a consumer category other than sports aficionados (What about fashion? Apparels are surely part of fashion statement?).

In our imagined scenario, the ball is in your court.

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